SEIU State Council President Tom Balanoff Applauds Illinois’ Legislators for Standing up for Working

SEIU State Council President Tom Balanoff Applauds Illinois’ Legislators Standing up for Working Families in our State

Illinois’ families reject Rauner’s ‘so called’ right to work bill; See it for the economic regression it really is

CHICAGO – “Today [May 14, 2015] workers from across the state made their voices heard through the legislators that represent them. They rejected Rauner’s smokescreen agenda of economic regression masked in ‘so called’ right to work. Past action drives future action and we know that time and time again Rauner made millions at the expense of everyday people , while running his private equity firm, which
bought, sold, and chopped up companies. Rauner’s current attacks on the workers of our state come as no surprise and I applaud the legislators who saw right through Rauner’s approach and stood up for Illinois’ working families.

“Governor Rauner vilifying workers and their rights to collective bargaining to try to solve the state’s problems is not the answer. Austerity doesn’t work. In order to stimulate the economy, the middle class must have the economic security achieved through increased wages, and access to decent benefits and an adequate safety net.

“Governor Rauner’s right to work for less scheme would cause wages to significantly drop for all working families while decimating the middle class. What Illinoisans need is to restore balance to our state by reviving neighborhoods and building an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.

“Right to work for less is not economic development. It is not empowerment. It is economic regression.”

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Representing more than 150,000 workers, the SEIU Illinois Council represents workers including security officers, janitors, home care and child care providers, as well as public employees, medical professionals, first responders and social service workers. SEIU members are winning better wages, health care, and more secure jobs, while ensuring that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, benefit from today’s economy.